Scott Dunn - Webster

Day 1 - Tuesday 8^th April - Céad míle fáilte

Céad míle fáilte! One hundred thousand welcomes to Ireland’s ‘Wild West’, a region of immense beauty, ancient history, and Irish tradition. This morning, your private guide will meet you at Shannon Airport and transfer you to the wilds of Connemara. We take the opportunity to stop in Galway City, a charming Medieval-era city with a thriving arts and food scene. We have time to explore and grab a spot of lunch with our guide. Later, it’s a short drive to Ballynahinch Castle. Once owned by an Indian Raj, this traditional hunting lodge has seen presidents and dignitaries grace its halls and rooms for generations. Today, surrounded by thousands of acres of estate land and forests, Ballynahinch boasts fine dining, a traditional pub, on-site fly fishing and a remote escape in the wilds of Connemara. Your guide will join you for dinner this evening as you raise a glass to your adventure ahead.

Overnight: Connemmara | Ballynahinch Castle Hotel
Room Type: x1 Luxury Room
Meals Included: Lunch and Dinner

Day 2 - Wednesday 9^th April - Inis Oirr Adventure

Connemara is home to the largest Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking population) in Ireland, where an estimated 70% of the population speaks Irish as their first language daily. Oozing with culture and tradition, Connemara and the islands have a lot to offer. This morning we meet local guide and Gaeilgeoir (Irish-speaker) Padraic to take a private flight to Inis Oirr, the smallest of the three Aran Islands. Enjoy the commanding views of the islands, Galway Bay, and the Connemara coastline before stepping into the wilderness. We visit the island Arts Centre where we get a glimpse of the island’s history, culture, heritage, and traditions and finish up doing a craft workshop with Máirtín, a local islander and expert craftsman. A feast of local seafood will be served for lunch, including Aran Lobster, before we embark on a tour of the island visiting the Shipwreck, Underground Church, and the 15th century O Brien’s Castle perched on the highest point of the island. Head back to the mainland this evening just in time to freshen up and grab a bite to eat.

Overnight: Connemmara | Ballynahinch Castle Hotel
Room Type: x1 Luxury Room
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 3 - Thursday 10^th April - Connemara National Park

This morning, your guide will lead you on a hike in the nearby Connemara National Park, a perfect place for hiking with scenic mountains, expanses of beautiful bogland, grasslands, and woodlands to explore. The rest of the day is for you to enjoy all that Ballynahinch Castle has to offer. There is a choice of unique activities such as relaxing in the Woodland Saunas, taking a fly fishing tutorial, biking, or simply sitting in the tranquillity of the grounds listening to the song of the river.

Overnight: Connemmara | Ballynahinch Castle Hotel
Room Type: X1 Luxury Room
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 4 - Friday 11^th April - Gaeltacht Regions, Castles & Falcons

Today we leave behind the wilds of Connemara, making our way farther south to Clare. We drive through the Gaeltacht region of south Connemara, stopping at a Seaweed Centre, the only one dedicated to the sea plant which grows in abundance on the shorelines and is used in medical, beauty and most importantly the food industry worldwide. Enjoy a Seaweed Bath before we visit Spiddal (An Spidéal), for a browse around a lovely craft village. We arrive at Dromoland Castle, a property that dates back to the 16th century and home for the next 3 nights. Before dinner, we get up close and personal with mesmerising falcons, hawks and owls on the castle grounds.

Overnight: Newmarket On Fergus | Dromoland Castle Hotel
Room Type: x1 Viscount Stateroom
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 5 - Saturday 12^th April - Classic Cliffs & Cheese Tasting

The Burren’s rocky alien landscape is said to be the inspiration for Middle Earth in JRR Tolkien’s world-famous Lord of the Rings trilogy. Today we enter the heart of it as we pay a visit to a charming, locally-owned goat farm for an immersive tour and tasting. Meet and feed the tribe, visit the milking parlour, and learn about the history of goat farming in Ireland and the traditional methods used to care for them and produce award-winning goat cheese.  Witness the cheese-making process firsthand and enjoy a tasting of their full range of Irish cheeses, right there on the farm!  Later we head to the musical village of Doolin, where we hop on a zodiac for an up close and personal exploration of the Cliffs of Moher. Far from the tourist crowds, learn the mythology and wildlife of this iconic site.

Overnight: Newmarket On Fergus | Dromoland Castle Hotel
Room Type: x1 Viscount Stateroom
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 6 - Sunday 13^th April - Dromoland Castle

Today is for you to sit back and enjoy all of the activities Dromoland Castle has to offer.  There’s no shortage of exciting options to make the most of your free time. Options include archery, clay shooting, cycling and fishing.  If you’d rather take a more relaxed approach, join one of their guided estate walks, or indulge in some much-needed relaxation at their award-winning spa.

*Your guide will be on hand should you wish to explore the locality. 

Overnight: Newmarket On Fergus | Dromoland Castle Hotel
Room Type: x1 Viscount Stateroom
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 7 - Monday 14^th April - Adare Manor

This morning we make the 35-minute drive south to Adare Manor for an elevated, luxurious experience. Spend the day enjoying your surroundings at Adare Manor partaking in some of the onsite leisure activities this luxurious hotel resort has to offer. The day is yours to indulge in some relaxation at the spa, perhaps go for a swim, take afternoon tea like the lords and ladies or indulge in an afternoon cocktail. This evening we enjoy a curated whiskey tasting, including some of the hotel’s private casks.

Overnight: Adare | Adare Manor Hotel
Room Type: x1 Stateroom King
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 8 - Tuesday 15^th April - Killarney National Park

Kerry is an expanse of rugged, mountainous country that sweeps down to the world-famous Lakes of Killarney. Here, stretching across 10,000 hectares, lies Killarney National Park, with its unforgettable combination of mountains, lakes, woodland and waterfalls. Take a tour of the famed Killarney Lakes with Dux, your Kerryman skipper who has been sailing these lakes since he was a child with his family. Alighting back on solid land, delight in a hike through the verdant woodlands and along the lakeshores of Killarney, keeping an eye out for the park’s herd of red deer and taking in the gorgeous views that make this region special.

Overnight: Adare | Adare Manor Hotel
Room Type: x1 Stateroom King
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 9 - Wednesday 16^th April - Horse Riding in the South West

This morning our guide takes us a short drive off-site for a morning of equestrian fun. Enjoy a tailored, private lesson and experience the Irish countryside from horseback. Back at Adare, the rest of the day is for relaxing before checking out some of the local hot spots with our guide for dinner in the local village just outside the estate gates.

Overnight: Adare | Adare Manor Hotel
Room Type: x1 Stateroom King
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 10 - Thursday 17^th April - Depart

This morning, your private guide will take you back to Shannon Airport for your flight home. We hope your time in Ireland has been memorable and we look forward to welcoming you to our shores once again.

Meals Included: Breakfast